Six days of sustainability at environmental film festival

Saturday

Feb 2, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Cinema Verde Environmental Film & Arts Festival will be held Feb. 9-14 at Jolie in downtown Gainesville.

By Sierra MisionCorrespondent

Several years ago, Trish Riley was at a conference in San Francisco when she noticed the number of films centered on environmental conservation in the city.Months after Riley, an environmental journalist, returned to Gainesville, the idea of launching a film festival sprung to life. "I know how important [environmental protection] is, how serious it is, and I want people to do something about it," said Riley, who is the author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Greening Your Business." The fourth annual Cinema Verde Environmental Films & Art Festival kicks off Feb. 9 and continues through Feb. 14. The festival features more than 30 films that hope to inspire individuals to adopt more sustainable lifestyles, said Riley, the event director.The festival highlights global issues such as pollution and water conservation, while emphasizing that individuals can make changes in their daily lives that benefit the environment.About 100 people attended each night of the festival last year. Riley said she can't predict how many will attend this year, but she hopes keeping the films confined to one venue will help eliminate confusion from previous festivals.All 36 films will be screened at Jolie, 6 W. University Ave., which can seat up to 260 people. Riley said the films range in length from four minutes to two hours. Some of the directors, traveling from as far as California and as nearby as High Springs, will be at the festival to speak with audiences.Riley recommends two films for those strapped for time, "Radio Love" and "Fukushame: The Lost Japan." Both focus on Japanese culture, with "Radio Love" diving into how technology like the radio keeps the people of Hiroshima connected to each other. "Fukushame" analyzes how the city's opinions about nuclear energy changed in light of the 2011 nuclear disaster.The six-day festival is divided into daily themes, like "Celebrate Nature: Energy" and "Food," with films relating to those themes being shown on those days.Similar to last year, there will be admissions packages to attend the festival, Riley said. The full-access VIP pass costs $100 per person and allows individuals to attend all of the films, as well as the events hosted at Jolie.The half-access VIP pass, at $50, grants entry to half the films and events at Jolie. There also will be daily-access passes available for $15, Riley said, and the passes for weekend films will be $25.While the festival attracts college professors, and people who tend to be in their 40s and 50s, Riley said, anyone can attend. The EcoFair, scheduled for the opening weekend, features presentations from local businesses on using sustainable products, and potlucks that use food from farmers markets. The festival aims to raise awareness among consumers and business owners to be more attentive of the products they use, Riley said."I hope," she said, "that people will leave encouraged to live happy, healthy sustainable lives." For more information about the festival, including the full program and where to purchase tickets, visit cinemaverde.org.